Wireless data service control over radio bands in a wireless communication network

ABSTRACT

A wireless access node exchanges data with User Equipment (UE) over a radio band and determines a performance metric for the UE over the radio band. The wireless access node transfers the performance metric to the UE. The UE translates the performance metric into a service instruction for the radio band and transfers the service instruction to the wireless access node. The wireless access node transfers the service instruction to a network controller. The network controller modifies the wireless data service for the wireless UE over the radio band in response to the service instruction.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

Wireless communication networks provide wireless data services towireless user devices. Exemplary wireless data services includeinternet-access, media-streaming, messaging, and gaming. Exemplarywireless user devices comprise phones, computers, wearable transceivers,vehicles, robots, and sensors. The wireless communication networks havewireless access nodes that exchange wireless signals with the wirelessuser devices using wireless network protocols. Exemplary wirelessnetwork protocols include Institute of Electrical and ElectronicEngineers (IEEE) 802.11 (WIFI), Long Term Evolution (LTE), FifthGeneration New Radio (5GNR), and Low-Power Wide Area Network (LP-WAN).

The wireless access nodes and the wireless user devices use radio bandsof electromagnetic spectrum for their wireless communications. Anexemplary radio band might be 200 megahertz wide and located near 2gigahertz. Some radio bands are licensed from the Federal CommunicationCommission (FCC) and others are publicly available. Modern wireless userdevices are now equipped with multiple radios that communicate overdifferent radio bands, and these multi-band communications may occursimultaneously.

The different wireless data services use different types of wirelessconnections. The different connections have their own customQuality-of-Service (QoS). For example, a voice-conferencing service usesa wireless connection that has a low-latency QoS, while aninternet-access service uses a wireless connection that has a variableQoS. The QoS specifies metrics for a wireless connection like bit-rateand latency that are tailored for a given data service.

Unfortunately, the wireless communication networks do not efficientlycontrol the complex combinations of radio bands and data services basedon QoS. Moreover, the wireless communication networks do not exert radioband control to effectively save user battery life, lower radiointerference, and load balance radio bands.

Technical Overview

A wireless access node exchanges data with User Equipment (UE) over aradio band and determines a performance metric for the UE and the radioband. The wireless access node transfers the performance metric to theUE. The UE translates the performance metric into a service instructionfor the radio band and transfers the service instruction to the wirelessaccess node. The wireless access node transfers the service instructionto a network controller. The network controller modifies the wirelessdata service for the wireless UE over the radio band in response to theservice instruction.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless communication network to control wirelessdata services for wireless User Equipment (UE).

FIG. 2 illustrates the operation of the wireless communication networkto control the wireless data services for the wireless UE.

FIG. 3 illustrates the operation of the wireless communication networkto control the wireless data services for the wireless UE.

FIG. 4 illustrates a Fifth Generation New Radio (5GNR) gNodeB to controlwireless data services for a 5GNR UE over multiple radio bands.

FIG. 5 illustrates a 5GNR UE that controls its wireless data servicesover multiple radio bands.

FIG. 6 illustrates a Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure(NFVI) to control wireless data services for a 5GNR UE and a Long TermEvolution (LTE) UE over multiple radio bands.

FIG. 7 illustrates the operation of the 5GNR UE, 5GNR access node, andNFVI to control the wireless data services for the 5GNR UE over multipleradio bands.

FIG. 8 illustrates the operation of the LTE UE, LTE access node, andNFVI to control wireless data services for the LTE UE over multipleradio bands.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates wireless communication network 100 to controlwireless data services for wireless User Equipment (UE) 101 over one ormore radio bands. The wireless data services comprise Internet-access,media-streaming, messaging, gaming, machine-control, and/or some otherwireless data product. Wireless communication network 100 comprises UE101, wireless access node 111, network controller 121, and networkelement 122. Wireless UE 101 and wireless access node 111 are coupledover wireless communication links 131 and 132. Wireless access node 111is coupled to network controller 121 and network element 122 overbackhaul links 141. Wireless network controller 121 and wireless networkelement 122 are coupled over network links 142. Wireless network element122 and external data systems are coupled over data links 143.

Wireless UE 101, wireless links 131-132, and wireless access node 111may use wireless communication protocols like Fifth Generation New Radio(5GNR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Low-Power Wide Area Network (LP-WAN),Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 (WIFI),or some other wireless networking protocol. Wireless links 131-132 usedifferent frequency bands from one another. The frequency bands usefrequency blocks in the low-band, mid-band, high-band, or some otherpart or the wireless electromagnetic spectrum. Data links 141-143 mayuse Time Division Multiplex (TDM), IEEE 802.3 (ETHERNET), InternetProtocol (IP), Data Over Cable System Interface Specification (DOCSIS),LTE, 5GNR, virtual switching, radio tunneling protocols, or some otherdata network protocol. Communication links 131-132 and 141-143 mayinclude intermediate network elements. For example, wireless link 131may include a wireless repeater, and backhaul links 141 may include IProuters.

Wireless UE 101 might be a phone, computer, wearable transceiver, robot,vehicle, or some other data appliance with wireless communicationcircuitry. Wireless UE 101 comprises radios and user circuitry which arecoupled over bus circuitry. The radios comprise antennas, filters,amplifiers, analog-to-digital interfaces, microprocessors, memory,software, transceivers, bus circuitry, and the like. The user circuitrycomprises microprocessors, memory, software, transceivers, buscircuitry, and the like. The microprocessors comprise Digital SignalProcessors (DSP), Central Processing Units (CPUs), Graphical ProcessingUnits (GPUs), Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), and/orthe like. The memories comprise Random Access Memory (RAM), flashcircuitry, disk drives, and/or the like. The memories store softwarelike operating systems, user applications, and network applications.

Wireless access node 111 comprises radios and Baseband Units (BBUs)which are coupled over bus circuitry. The radios comprise antennas,filters, amplifiers, analog-to-digital interfaces, microprocessors,memory, software, transceivers, bus circuitry, and the like. The BBUscomprise microprocessors, memory, software, transceivers, bus circuitry,and the like. The microprocessors comprise DSP, CPUs, GPUs, ASICs,and/or the like. The memories comprise RAM, flash circuitry, diskdrives, and/or the like. The memories store software like operatingsystems and network applications. In some examples, wireless access node111 comprises a Fifth Generation New Radio (5GNR) gNodeB and/or a LongTerm Evolution (LTE) eNodeB.

Network controller 121 and network element 122 comprise microprocessors,memory, software, and bus interfaces. The microprocessors comprise CPU,GPU, ASIC, and/or the like. The memory comprises RAM, flash circuitry,disk drive, and/or the like. The memory stores software like operatingsystem and network applications. Exemplary network controllers includeAccess and Mobility Management Functions (AMFs), Session ManagementFunctions (SMFs), Mobility Management Entities (MMEs), and the like.Exemplary network elements include User Plane Functions (UPFs), ServingGateways (SGWs), Packet Data Network Gateways (PGWs), and the like. Insome examples, network controller 121 and/or network element 122comprise Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) in a Network FunctionVirtualization Infrastructure (NFVI).

In operation, wireless access node 111 wirelessly exchanges user datawith wireless UE 101 over a radio band of wireless link 131 to deliverone or more wireless data services. Each data service uses a wirelessbearer that has its own Quality-of-Service (QoS). Wireless access node111 determines a communication performance metric for wireless UE 101over the radio band of wireless link 131. The communication metric maycomprise data throughput, error rate, path loss, and/or some other radioquality measurement. Data throughput is typically measured in averagebytes per second on the downlink and/or uplink. The error rate may be aHybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARD) Block Error Rate (BLER). The pathloss is typically measured in decibels and represents the differencebetween transmit power and receive power on the uplink and/or downlink.Wireless access node 111 wirelessly transfers the performance metric towireless UE 101—possibly in a Radio Resource Control (RRC)reconfiguration message.

In some examples, wireless access node 111 processes a set ofperformance metrics for a UE 101 and a radio band to generate aperformance index for UE 101 over the radio band. For example, wirelessaccess node 111 may normalize, quantize, and sum metrics like datathroughput, error rate, and path loss into an integer from 1-20 thatrepresents performance quality. Wireless access node 111 maycontinuously calculate and transfer the performance index to wireless UE101 in RRC reconfiguration messages.

Wireless UE 101 wirelessly receives the communication performance metricfor UE 101 over the radio band. Wireless UE 101 translates theperformance metric for the radio band into a service instruction for theradio band. For example, UE 101 may host a data structure thatcorrelates performance indices into service instructions like stopservice, increase throughput, band-switch, and the like. For example,the data structure may restart a service or increase throughput as theradio band performance improves, or the data structure may stop aservice or decrease throughput as the radio band performance falls.

Wireless UE 101 wirelessly transfers the service instruction to wirelessaccess node 111. Wireless access node 111 wirelessly receives theservice instruction and transfers the service instruction to networkcontroller 121. In some examples, wireless UE 101 transfers a TrackingArea Update (TAU) over wireless access node 111 to network controller121, and the TAU carries the service instruction to network controller121.

Network controller 121 receives the service instruction from UE 101 forthe radio band—possibly in a TAU. Network controller 121 determines aservice modification for the radio band in response to the serviceinstruction. Exemplary service modifications for the radio band comprisedisabling or enabling the data service, increasing/decreasingthroughput, initiating a band-switch, and the like. The serviceinstruction from UE 101 and the service modification by networkcontroller 121 are often the same, but network controller 121 maydetermine service modifications that differ from the serviceinstruction. For example, UE 101 may transfer a service instruction toreduce throughput on the radio band, and an AMF may translate thereduced throughput instruction into service modifications to stop theservice, switch radio bands, and re-start the service.

Network controller 121 signals network element 122 to modify thewireless data service for the wireless UE per the service modifications.Network controller 121 signals wireless access node 111 and UE 101 tomodify the wireless data service per the service modifications. Networkelement 122, access node 111, and UE 101 modify the data serviceresponsive to the signaling. For example, a gNodeB and UPF may terminatea video conferencing bearer for UE 101 that was using apoorly-performing radio band, while an eNodeB, SGW, and PGW may add avideo conferencing bearer for UE 101 that uses an adequately-performingradio band.

Advantageously, wireless communication network 100 efficiently andeffectively controls data services for wireless UE 101 based performancemetrics to improve overall service quality for UE 101. Moreover, theservice control exerted by wireless communication network 100 saves UEbattery life, lowers radio interference, load balances radio bands, andinitiates band mobility for UEs.

FIG. 2 illustrates the operation of wireless communication network 100to control the wireless data services for wireless UE 101. Wirelessaccess node 111 wirelessly exchanges user data with wireless UE 101 overa radio band in wireless link 131 to deliver a wireless data service(201). Wireless access node 111 determines a communication performancemetric for wireless UE 101 and the radio band (202). The communicationperformance metric may comprise an index that is calculated based onother metrics. Wireless access node 111 wirelessly transfers thecommunication performance metric to wireless UE 101 (203)—possibly in anRRC reconfiguration message.

Wireless UE 101 wirelessly receives the communication performance metric(204)—possibly in the RRC reconfiguration message. Wireless UE 101translates the communication performance metric into a serviceinstruction (205). UE 101 may translate a numeric performance index intoa service instruction like stop data service over band, decreasesecondary component carriers over band, and the like. Wireless UE 101wirelessly transfers the service instruction to wireless access node 111(206)—possibly in a TAU. Wireless access node 111 wirelessly receivesthe service instruction and transfers the service instruction to networkcontroller 121 (207). Network controller 121 receives the serviceinstruction for the radio band (208)—possibly in the TAU. Networkcontroller 121 modifies the wireless data service for wireless UE 101 inresponse to the service instruction from UE 101 (209). For example, anMME may signal an LTE eNodeB to decrease the secondary componentcarriers for UE 101 on the radio band and may signal an SGW to reducethroughput for wireless UE 101 over the backhaul link. The processrepeats (201).

FIG. 3 illustrates the operation of the wireless communication network100 to control the wireless data services for wireless UE 101. Wirelessaccess node 111 wirelessly exchanges user data with wireless UE 101 overradio band A of wireless link 131 to deliver a wireless data service.Wireless access node 111 and network element 122 exchange the user datato deliver the wireless data service. Network element 122 exchanges theuser data with other data systems to deliver the wireless data service.Wireless access node 111 determines communication performance metricslike data throughput, error rate, and path loss for wireless UE 101 andradio band A. In this example, wireless access node 111 determines anindex based on the communication performance metrics, although an indexis not required in other examples. To determine the index for the radioband, wireless access node 111 multiplies each performance metric(throughput, error rate, path loss) by a normalizing factor, quantizesthe normalized metrics into integers, and sums the integers into theindex which falls in a range from 1-20. Wireless access node 111wirelessly transfers the communication performance index for the radioband to wireless UE 101—possibly in an RRC reconfiguration message.

Wireless UE 101 wirelessly receives the communication performanceindex—possibly in the RRC reconfiguration message. Wireless UE 101translates the communication performance index into a serviceinstruction. Some performance indices may cause service termination orresource reductions while other performance indices may cause servicerestoration or resource increases. In this example, the serviceinstruction is to turn off the data service on the radio band. WirelessUE 101 wirelessly transfers the “service off” instruction for the radioband to wireless access node 111—possibly in a TAU. Wireless access node111 transfers the service off instruction to network controller 121.Network controller 121 receives the service off instruction for theradio band—possibly in the TAU.

In this example, network controller 121 terminates a wireless dataservice for wireless UE 101 over the radio band and initiates a bandswitch for the service to another radio band in response to the serviceinstruction. Network controller 121 may take different actions in otherexamples. In this example, network controller 121 compares averageperformance metrics for bands A and B (average load, average throughput,average path loss) to determine that band B has better average qualitythan band A and to initiate a band switch for UE 101 from band A to bandB in response to the service instruction from UE 101. Network controller121 signals UE 101 and wireless access node 111 to terminate the databearer for the service over the radio band and perform a band switch forband A to band B for the service. Network controller 121 signals networkelement 122 to terminate the data bearer for the service for UE 101 andto add a different data bearer that uses band B for the service.

As a result of the signaling, the data service is terminated on a poorlyperforming radio band to save UE battery life and to reduce radiointerference on the band. By moving services from bad radio bands togood radio bands, network controller 121 effectively load-balances theservices across the radio bands.

UE 101 and wireless access node 111 perform the band switch from radioband A to radio band B. After the band switch, network controller 121signals UE 101, wireless access node 111, and network element 122 torestart the data service with a new bearer over the radio band B.Wireless access node 111 wirelessly exchanges user data with wireless UE101 over radio band B in wireless link 132 to deliver the wireless dataservice. Wireless access node 111 and network element 122 exchange theuser data to deliver the wireless data service. Network element 122exchanges the user data with other data systems to deliver the wirelessdata service.

FIG. 4 illustrates Fifth Generation New Radio (5GNR) gNodeB 411 tocontrol wireless data services for 5GNR UE 401 over multiple radio bandsA-N in wireless communication network 400. 5GNR gNodeB 411 is an exampleof wireless access node 111, although wireless access node 111 maydiffer. 5GNR gNodeB 411 comprises radios 412 and Baseband Unit (BBU)413. Radios 412 comprise antennas, amplifiers, filters, modulation,analog-to-digital interfaces, Digital Signal Processors (DSP), andmemory that are coupled over bus circuitry. BBU 413 comprises memory,Central Processing Units (CPU), and data Input/Output (I/O) that arecoupled over bus circuitry. 5GNR UE 401 is wirelessly coupled to theantennas in radios 412 over multiple 5GNR radio bands A-N. Radios 412and BBU 413 are coupled over data links like Common Public RadioInterface (CPRI). The BBU I/O is coupled over backhaul links to AMF 421,UPF 422, and SMF 423 which are resident in Network FunctionVirtualization Infrastructure (NFVI) 420. The BBU memory stores anoperating system (OS), Physical Layers (PHY), Media Access Controls(MAC), Radio Link Controls (RLC), Packet Data Convergence Protocols(PDCP), Radio Resource Controls (RRC) and Service Data AdaptationProtocols (SDAP). The CPU executes the PHY, MAC, RLC, PDCP, RRC, andSDAP to drive the exchange of user data and network signaling betweenradios 412 and NFVI 420.

In radios 412, the antennas receive wireless 5GNR signals from 5G UEs401 over radio bands A-N. The 5GNR signals transport Uplink (UL) 5GNRsignaling and UL 5GNR data. The antennas transfer correspondingelectrical UL signals through duplexers to the amplifiers. Theamplifiers boost the received UL signals for filters which attenuateunwanted energy. In modulation, demodulators down-convert the UL signalsfrom the carrier frequencies for bands A-N. The analog/digitalinterfaces convert the analog UL signals into digital UL signals for theDSP. The DSP recovers UL 5GNR symbols from the UL digital signals. InBBU 413, the CPU executes the network applications to process the UL5GNR symbols and recover the UL 5GNR signaling and UL 5GNR data. The CPUexecutes the RRC to process the UL 5GNR signaling and Downlink (DL) 5GNRsignaling to generate new UL 5GNR signaling and new DL 5GNR signaling.The RRC transfers the new UL 5GNR signaling to AMF 421 in NFVI 420 overthe data I/O and backhaul links. The SDAP transfers the UL 5GNR data toUPF 422 over the data I/O and backhaul links.

In BBU 413, the data I/O receives the DL 5GNR signaling from AMF 421over the backhaul links. The data I/O receives DL 5GNR data from UPF 422over the backhaul links. The CPU executes the network applications toprocess the DL 5GNR signaling and the DL 5GNR data to generatecorresponding DL 5GNR symbols that represent the DL 5GNR signaling andDL 5GNR data in the frequency domain. In radios 412, the DSP processesthe DL 5GNR symbols to generate corresponding digital signals for theanalog-to-digital interfaces. The analog-to-digital interfaces convertthe digital DL signals into analog DL signals for modulation. Modulationup-converts the DL signals to the carrier frequencies for bands A-N. Theamplifiers boost the modulated DL signals for the filters whichattenuate unwanted out-of-band energy. The filters transfer the filteredDL signals through duplexers to the antennas. The electrical DL signalsdrive the antennas to emit corresponding wireless 5GNR signals thattransport the DL 5GNR signaling and DL 5GNR data to 5GNR UE 401 overradio bands A-N.

RRC functions comprise authentication, security, handover control,status reporting, Quality-of-Service (QoS), network broadcasts andpages, and network selection. SDAP functions comprise QoS marking andflow control. PDCP functions comprise LTE/5GNR allocations, securityciphering, header compression and decompression, sequence numbering andre-sequencing, de-duplication. RLC functions comprise Automatic RepeatRequest (ARQ), sequence numbering and resequencing, segmentation andresegmentation. MAC functions comprise buffer status, power control,channel quality, Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ), useridentification, random access, user scheduling, and QoS. PHY functionscomprise packet formation/deformation, windowing/de-windowing,guard-insertion/guard-deletion, parsing/de-parsing, controlinsertion/removal, interleaving/de-interleaving, Forward ErrorCorrection (FEC) encoding/decoding, rate matching/de-matching,scrambling/descrambling, modulation mapping/de-mapping, channelestimation/equalization, Fast Fourier Transforms (FFTs)/Inverse FFTs(IFFTs), channel coding/decoding, layer mapping/de-mapping, precoding,Discrete Fourier Transforms (DFTs)/Inverse DFTs (IDFTs), and ResourceElement (RE) mapping/de-mapping.

5GNR gNodeB 411 wirelessly exchanges user data with 5GNR UE 401 overradio bands A-N to deliver a wireless data service like internet-access,machine-control, social networking, or the like. In BBU 413, the RRCdetermines data throughput, error rate, and path for individual radiobands A-N. The RRC calculates a performance index based on the datathroughput, error rate, and path loss metrics. The calculation entailsnormalizing and combining data throughput, error rate, and path loss toform an integer in a range from 1-20. The RRC transfers the performanceindex to wireless UE 401 in an RRC reconfiguration message. The RRCsubsequently receives a Tracking Area Update (TAU) with one or moreservice instructions for one or more radio bands from 5GNR UE 401. TheRRC transfers the TAU that has the service instruction to AMF 421.Subsequently, the RRC receives service modification instructions fromAMF 421 like N2 signaling to terminate an interactive-gaming bearer for5GNR UE 401 that uses radio band A and instruct 5GNR UE 401 to switchfrom radio band A to radio band B and re-establish the gaming bearerover band B. The RRC implements the service instructions from AMF 421.

FIG. 5 illustrates 5GNR UE 401 that controls its wireless data servicesover radio bands A-N in wireless communication network 400. 5GNR UE 401is an example of wireless UE 101, although UE 101 may differ. 5GNR UE401 comprises radios 502 and user circuitry 503 which are interconnectedover bus circuitry. Radios 502 comprise antennas, amplifiers, filters,modulation, analog-to-digital interfaces, DSP, and memory that arecoupled over bus circuitry. The antennas in 5GNR UE 401 are wirelesslycoupled to 5GNR gNodeB 411 over radio bands A-N. User circuitry 503comprises data I/O, CPU, and memory. The BBU memory stores an operatingsystem, user applications, and network applications for PHY, MAC, RLC,PDCP, RRC, and SDAP. The CPU executes the operating system and networkapplications to exchange 5GNR signaling and 5GNR data with 5GNR. The CPUexecutes the operating system, user applications, and networkapplications to exchange user signaling and user data between the userapplications and the 5GNR RRC and SDAP. The CPU executes the operatingsystem and network applications to wirelessly exchange corresponding5GNR signaling and 5GNR data with 5GNR gNodeB 411 over radio bands A-N.

In radios 502, the antennas receive wireless 5GNR signals from 5GNRgNodeB 411 that transport DL 5GNR signaling and DL 5GNR data. Theantennas transfer corresponding electrical DL signals through duplexersto the amplifiers. The amplifiers boost the received DL signals forfilters which attenuate unwanted energy. In modulation, demodulatorsdown-convert the DL signals from the carrier frequencies for radio bandsA-N. The analog/digital interfaces convert the analog DL signals intodigital DL signals for the DSP. The DSP recovers DL 5GNR symbols fromthe DL digital signals. The CPU executes the network applications toprocess the DL 5GNR symbols and recover the DL 5GNR signaling and DL5GNR data. The RRC transfers corresponding DL user signaling to theoperating system/user applications. The SDAP transfers corresponding DLuser data to the operating system/user applications.

The SDAP also receives UL user data from the operating system/userapplications. The RRC receives UL user signaling from the operatingsystem/user applications. The RRC processes the UL user signaling andthe DL 5GNR signaling to generate new DL user signaling and new UL 5GNRsignaling. The SDAP interworks between UL user data and UL 5GNR data.The network applications process the UL 5GNR signaling and the UL 5GNRdata to generate corresponding UL 5GNR symbols. In radios 502, the DSPprocesses the UL 5GNR symbols to generate corresponding digital signalsfor the analog-to-digital interfaces. The analog-to-digital interfacesconvert the digital UL signals into analog UL signals for modulation.Modulation up-converts the UL signals to the carrier frequencies forradio bands A-N. The amplifiers boost the modulated UL signals for thefilters which attenuate unwanted out-of-band energy. The filterstransfer the filtered UL signals through duplexers to the antennas. Theelectrical UL signals drive the antennas to emit corresponding wireless5GNR signals that transport the UL 5GNR signaling and UL 5GNR data to5GNR gNodeB 411.

5GNR UE 401 wirelessly exchanges 5GNR data with 5GNR gNodeB 411 overradio bands A-N to deliver a wireless data service like internet-access,machine-control, social networking, or the like. In 5GNR UE 401, the RRCreceives an RRC reconfiguration message from 5GNR gNodeB 411 thatindicates a performance index for radio bands 1-N where the index is anormalized combination of data throughput, error rate, and path loss.The RRC translates the performance index into a service instruction. Forexample, the RRC may host a data structure that correlates theperformance indices from 1-20 into service instructions like pauseservice, stop service, start service, increase throughput, decreasejitter, band switch, and the like. The RRC in 5GNR UE 401 transfers theservice instruction to 5GNR gNodeB 411 in a Tracking Area Update (TAU),and gNodeB 411 transfers the TAU and service instruction to AMF 421.Subsequently, the RRC receives N1/N2 signaling from 5GNR gNodeB 411 andAMF 422 that indicate one or more service modifications likeinstructions to terminate the data bearer for the data service overradio band A and switch from radio band A to radio band B. The RRC in UE401 implements the service instructions from gNodeB 411 and AMF 421.

FIG. 6 illustrates a Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure(NFVI) 420 to control wireless data services for 5GNR UE 401 and LongTerm Evolution (LTE) UE 601 over multiple radio bands A-N in wirelesscommunication network 400. NFVI 420 is an example of network controller121 and network element 122, although networks controller 121 andelement 122 may differ. NFVI 420 comprises hardware 621, hardwaredrivers 622, operating systems and hypervisors 623, virtual layer 624,and Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) 625. Hardware 621 comprises NetworkInterface Cards (NICs), CPUs, RAM, flash/disk drives, and data switches(SWS). Virtual layer 624 comprises virtual NICs (vNIC), virtual CPUs(vCPU), virtual RAM (vRAM), virtual Drives (vDRIVE), and virtualSwitches (vSW). The NICs in NFVI 420 are coupled to 5GNR gNodeB 411 andLong Term Evolution (LTE) eNodeB 611 over backhaul links. VNFs 425comprise Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF 421), SessionManagement Function (SMF) 422, User Plane Function (UPF) 423, MobilityManagement Entity (MME) 621, Serving Gateway (SGW) 622, Packet DataNetwork Gateway (PGW) 623. Other network functions are typically presentbut are omitted for clarity. Hardware 621 executes hardware drivers 622,operating systems and hypervisors 623, virtual layer 624, and VNFs 625to serve 5GNR UE 401 and LTE UE 601 with data services over radio bandsA-N.

AMF 421 receives TAUs from 5GNR gNodeB 411 that include serviceinstructions for radio bands A-N that were issued by 5GNR UE 401 basedon performance indices from 5GNR gNodeB 411. AMF 421 determines servicemodifications for radio bands A-N in response to the serviceinstruction. Exemplary service modifications comprise disabling orenabling the data service, increasing/decreasing throughput, initiatinga band-switch, and the like. AMF 421 signals SMF 423 to modify thewireless data service for 5GNR UE 401 per the service modifications. SMF423 signals UPF 422 to modify the wireless data service for 5GNR UE 401.UPF 422 modifies the data service for UE 401 responsive to thesignaling—typically by terminating a data bearer for the service thatuses the radio band. AMF 421 also signals gNodeB 411 and UE 402 tomodify the wireless data service for 5GNR UE 401.

FIG. 7 illustrates the operation of 5GNR UE 401, 5GNR gNodeB 411, andNFVI 420 to control the wireless data services for 5GNR UE 401 overmultiple radio bands A-N in wireless communication network 400. In 5GNRUE 401, the user applications exchange signaling and data with the RRCsand SDAPs for radio bands A-N. The RRCs and SDAPs in UE 401 exchangecorresponding signaling and data with the RRCs and SDAPs in 5GNR gNodeB411 over their PDCPs, RLCs, MACs, PHYs, and radio bands A-N. The RRCsand SDAPs in 5GNR gNodeB 411 exchange corresponding signaling and datawith AMF 421 and UPF 422 over the backhaul links.

In 5GNR gNodeB 411, the RRCs determine average data throughput, averageerror rate, and average path loss for individual radio bands A-N. TheRRCs for bands A-N then calculate performance indices for individualradio bands A-N based on the performance averages for the radio band.The RRCs in gNodeB 411 transfer their performance indices to the RRCs inwireless UE 401 in RRC reconfiguration messages over the PDCPs, RLCs,MACs, PHYs, and bands A-N.

In 5GNR UE 401, the RRCs receive the RRC reconfiguration messages from5GNR gNodeB 411 that indicate the performance indices for radio bandsA-N. The RRCs translate the performance indices for the individual bandsinto service instructions for the individual radio bands. For example,the RRC for band A may translate a poor performance index for band Ainto a service instruction like stop video chat on band A. The RRCs forbands B-N may translate adequate performance indices for bands B-N intoa “status normal” instruction or no instruction at all. The RRC for bandA in 5GNR UE 401 transfers the service instruction to the RRC in 5GNRgNodeB 411 in a TAU, and gNodeB 411 transfers the TAU and serviceinstruction to AMF 421.

AMF 421 receives the service instruction from the RRC in 5GNR UE 401 inthe TAU. AMF 421 processes the service instruction from UE 401 todetermine service modifications for UE 491 over radio bands A-N. AMF 421signals SMF 423 with the service modifications. SMF 423 signals theservice modifications to UPF 422, and UPF 422 implements the servicemodifications. For example, UPF may terminate a video chat bearer for UE401 that uses band A. UPF 622 may still support other bearers for otherservices on radio band A. UPF 622 may still supports bearers forservices (including video chat) on the other radio bands B-N. AMF 421may determine a band switch for a data service for 5GNR UE 401.

The RRC for radio band A in 5GNR gNodeB receives N2/N1 signaling thatindicates instructions from AMF 421 like terminate a data bearer for5GNR UE 401 that serves radio band A. The RRC for radio band A signalsits SDAP, PDCP, RLC, MAC, and PHY for radio band A to implement theinstructions like terminating the data bearer. The RRC for radio band Ain 5GNR gNodeB 411 signals the RRC for radio band A in 5GNR UE 401 toimplement the service instructions from AMF 421. In UE 401, the RRC forradio band A signals its SDAP, PDCP, RLC, MAC, and PHY to implement theinstructions like terminating the data bearer and performing a bandswitch.

FIG. 8 illustrates the operation of Long Term Evolution (LTE) UE 601,LTE access node 611, and NFVI 420 to control wireless data services forLTE UE 601 over multiple radio bands A-N in wireless communicationnetwork 400. In LTE UE 601, the user applications exchange signaling anddata with the RRCs and PDCPs for radio bands A-N. The RRCs and PDCPs inUE 601 exchange corresponding signaling and data with the RRCs and PDCPsin LTE eNodeB 611 over their RLCs, MACs, PHYs, and radio bands A-N. TheRRCs and PDCPs in LTE eNodeB 611 exchange corresponding signaling anddata with MME 621 and SGW 622 over the backhaul links.

In LTE eNodeB 611, the RRCs determine average data throughput, averageerror rate, and average path loss for radio bands A-N. The RRCs forbands A-N then calculate performance indices for radio bands A-N basedon the performance averages for the radio band. The RRCs in eNodeB 611transfer their performance indices to the RRCs in LTE UE 601 in RRCreconfiguration messages over the PDCPs, RLCs, MACs, PHYs, and bandsA-N.

In LTE UE 601, the RRCs receive the RRC reconfiguration messages fromLTE eNodeB 611 that indicate the performance indices for radio bandsA-N. The RRCs translate the performance indices for the individual bandsinto service instructions for the individual radio bands. For example,the RRC for band B may translate a poor performance index for band Binto a service instruction like stop voice calling on band B. The RRCfor band N may translate adequate performance indices for band N into a“status normal” instruction or no instruction at all. The RRC for band Ain LTE UE 601 transfers the service instruction to LTE eNodeB 611 in aTAU, and eNodeB 611 transfers the TAU and service instruction to MME621.

MME 621 receives the service instruction from the RRC in LTE UE 601 inthe TAU. MME 621 determines service modifications for radio bands 1-Nbased on the service instructions from LTE UE 601. MME 621 signals theservice modifications to SGW 622 which signals PGW 623. SGW 622 and PGW623 implement the service modifications. For example, SGW 622 and PGW623 may terminate voice calling bearers for LTE UE 601 that use band B.SGW 622 and PGW 623 may still support other bearers for other serviceson radio band B. SGW 622 and PGW 623 may still support bearers forservices (including voice calling) on the other radio bands.

The RRC for radio band B in LTE eNodeB 611 receives S1-MME signalingthat indicates instructions from MME 621 like terminate a data bearerfor LTE UE 601 that uses radio band B. The RRC for radio band B signalsits PDCP, RLC, MAC, and PHY for radio band B to implement theinstructions like terminating a data bearer. The RRC for radio band B inLTE eNodeB 611 signals the RRC for radio band B in LTE UE 601 toimplement the service instructions from MME 621. In UE 601, the RRC forradio band B signals its PDCP, RLC, MAC, and PHY to implement theinstructions like terminating the data bearer on band B and performing aband switch to band N.

The wireless data network circuitry described above comprises computerhardware and software that form special-purpose network circuitry tocontrol the quality of wireless data services for wireless UEs that aredelivered over multiple radio bands. The computer hardware comprisesprocessing circuitry like CPUs, DSPs, GPUs, transceivers, bus circuitry,and memory. To form these computer hardware structures, semiconductorslike silicon or germanium are positively and negatively doped to formtransistors. The doping comprises ions like boron or phosphorus that areembedded within the semiconductor material. The transistors and otherelectronic structures like capacitors and resistors are arranged andmetallically connected within the semiconductor to form devices likelogic circuitry and storage registers. The logic circuitry and storageregisters are arranged to form larger structures like control units,logic units, and Random-Access Memory (RAM). In turn, the control units,logic units, and RAM are metallically connected to form CPUs, DSPs,GPUs, transceivers, bus circuitry, and memory.

In the computer hardware, the control units drive data between the RAMand the logic units, and the logic units operate on the data. Thecontrol units also drive interactions with external memory like flashdrives, disk drives, and the like. The computer hardware executesmachine-level software to control and move data by driving machine-levelinputs like voltages and currents to the control units, logic units, andRAM. The machine-level software is typically compiled from higher-levelsoftware programs. The higher-level software programs comprise operatingsystems, utilities, user applications, and the like. Both thehigher-level software programs and their compiled machine-level softwareare stored in memory and retrieved for compilation and execution. Onpower-up, the computer hardware automatically executesphysically-embedded machine-level software that drives the compilationand execution of the other computer software components which thenassert control. Due to this automated execution, the presence of thehigher-level software in memory physically changes the structure of thecomputer hardware machines into special-purpose network circuitry tocontrol the quality of wireless data services for wireless UEs that aredelivered over multiple radio bands.

The above description and associated figures teach the best mode of theinvention. The following claims specify the scope of the invention. Notethat some aspects of the best mode may not fall within the scope of theinvention as specified by the claims. Those skilled in the art willappreciate that the features described above can be combined in variousways to form multiple variations of the invention. Thus, the inventionis not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but only bythe following claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of operating a wireless communicationnetwork to control a wireless data service for a wireless User Equipment(UE), the method comprising: a wireless access node wirelesslyexchanging user data with the wireless UE over a radio band to deliverthe wireless data service; the wireless access node determining acommunication performance metric for the wireless UE over the radio bandand wirelessly transferring the communication performance metric to thewireless UE; the wireless UE wirelessly receiving the communicationperformance metric, translating the communication performance metricinto a service instruction for the radio band, and wirelesslytransferring the service instruction to the wireless access node; thewireless access node wirelessly receiving the service instruction andtransferring the service instruction to a network controller; and thenetwork controller receiving the service instruction and modifying thewireless data service for the wireless UE over the radio band inresponse to the service instruction.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein:the wireless access node determining the communication performancemetric comprises determining a wireless data throughput for the wirelessUE and determining an index based on the wireless data throughput; andthe wireless UE translating the communication performance metric intothe service instruction comprises translating the index into the serviceinstruction.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein: the wireless access nodedetermining the communication performance metric comprises determining awireless data throughput and an error rate and for the wireless UE anddetermining an index based on the wireless data throughput and the errorrate; and the wireless UE translating the communication performancemetric into the service instruction comprises translating the index intothe service instruction.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein: the wirelessaccess node determining the communication performance metric comprisesdetermining a wireless data throughput and a path loss and for thewireless UE and determining an index based on the wireless datathroughput and the path loss; and the wireless UE translating thecommunication performance metric into the service instruction comprisestranslating the index into the service instruction.
 5. The method ofclaim 1 wherein: the wireless access node wirelessly transferring thecommunication performance metric to the wireless UE comprises wirelesslytransferring a Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration message tothe wireless UE; and the wireless UE wirelessly receiving thecommunication performance metric comprises wirelessly receiving the RRCreconfiguration message.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein: the wirelessUE wirelessly transferring the service instruction comprises wirelesslytransferring a Tracking Area Update (TAU) that includes the serviceinstruction; and the network controller receiving the serviceinstruction comprises receiving the TAU that includes the serviceinstruction.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the network controllerresponsively modifying the wireless data service for the wireless UEover the radio band comprises enabling the wireless data service for thewireless UE over the radio band or disabling the wireless data servicefor the wireless UE over the radio band.
 8. The method of claim 1wherein the network controller modifying the wireless data service forthe wireless UE over the radio band comprises initiating a band-switchfor the wireless UE from the radio band to another radio band.
 9. Themethod of claim 1 wherein: the wireless access node wirelesslyexchanging user data with the wireless UE comprises wirelesslytransferring some of the user data to the wireless UE over secondarycomponent carriers; the wireless UE translating the communicationperformance metric into the service instruction comprises translatingthe communication performance metric into an increase of the secondarycomponent carriers or a decrease of the secondary component carriers;and the network controller responsively modifying the wireless dataservice for the wireless UE comprises increasing the secondary componentcarriers or decreasing the secondary component carriers over the radioband.
 10. The method of claim 1 wherein: the wireless access nodewirelessly exchanging the user data, determining the communicationperformance metric, transferring the communication performance metric,wirelessly receiving the service instruction, and transferring theservice instruction comprises at least one of a Long Term Evolution(LTE) access node and a Fifth Generation New Radio (5GNR) access nodewirelessly exchanging the user data, determining the communicationperformance metric, transferring the communication performance metric,wirelessly receiving the service instruction, and transferring theservice instruction; and the network controller receiving the serviceinstruction and responsively modifying the wireless data service for thewireless UE comprises at least one of a Mobility Management Entity (MME)and an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) receiving theservice instruction and responsively modifying the wireless data servicefor the wireless UE.
 11. A wireless communication network to control awireless data service for a wireless User Equipment (UE), the wirelesscommunication network comprising: a wireless access node configured towirelessly exchange user data with the wireless UE over a radio band todeliver the wireless data service; the wireless access node configuredto determine a communication performance metric for the wireless UE overthe radio band and wirelessly transfer the communication performancemetric to the wireless UE; the wireless UE configured to wirelesslyreceive the communication performance metric, translate thecommunication performance metric into a service instruction for theradio band, and wirelessly transfer the service instruction to thewireless access node; the wireless access node configured to wirelesslyreceive the service instruction and transfer the service instruction toa network controller; and the network controller configured to receivethe service instruction and modify the wireless data service for thewireless UE over the radio band in response to the service instruction.12. The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein: the wirelessaccess node is configured to determine a wireless data throughput forthe wireless UE and determine an index based on the wireless datathroughput; and the wireless UE is configured to translate the indexinto the service instruction.
 13. The wireless communication network ofclaim 11 wherein: the wireless access node is configured to determine awireless data throughput and an error rate and for the wireless UE anddetermine an index based on the wireless data throughput and the errorrate; and the wireless UE is configured to translate the index into theservice instruction.
 14. The wireless communication network of claim 11wherein: the wireless access node is configured to determine a wirelessdata throughput and a path loss and for the wireless UE and determine anindex based on the wireless data throughput and the path loss; and thewireless UE is configured to translate the index into the serviceinstruction.
 15. The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein:the wireless access node is configured wirelessly transfer a RadioResource Control (RRC) reconfiguration message to the wireless UE thatindicates the communication performance metric; and the wireless UE isconfigured to wirelessly receive the RRC reconfiguration message thatindicates the communication performance metric.
 16. The wirelesscommunication network of claim 11 wherein: the wireless UE is configuredto wirelessly transfer a Tracking Area Update (TAU) that includes theservice instruction; and the network controller is configured to receivethe TAU that includes the service instruction.
 17. The wirelesscommunication network of claim 11 wherein the network controller isconfigured to enable the wireless data service for the wireless UE ordisable the wireless data service for the wireless UE over the radioband.
 18. The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein thenetwork controller is configured to initiate a band-switch for thewireless UE from the radio band to another radio band.
 19. The wirelesscommunication network of claim 11 wherein: the wireless access node isconfigured to wirelessly transfer some of the user data to the wirelessUE over secondary component carriers; the wireless UE is configured totranslate the communication performance metric into an increase of thesecondary component carriers or a decrease of the secondary componentcarriers; and the network controller is configured to responsivelyincrease the secondary component carriers or decrease the secondarycomponent carriers over the radio band.
 20. The wireless communicationnetwork of claim 11 wherein: the wireless access node comprises at leastone of a Long Term Evolution (LTE) access node and a Fifth GenerationNew Radio (5GNR) access node; and the network controller comprises atleast one of a Mobility Management Entity (MME) and an Access andMobility Management Function (AMF).